Electric-cable retriever.



H. R. & E. B. GRAVES. ELECTRIC GABLE RBTRIEVER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1909. I

Patented 0ct. 4, 1910.

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WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. GRAVES AND EDWIN B. GRAVES, OF RENO, NEVADA.

ELECTRIC-CABLE RETRIEVER.

Application filed September 4, 1909. Serial No. 516,261.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY R. GRAVES and EDWIN B. GRAVES, citizens of the United States, residing at Reno, in the county of lVashoe and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Cable Retrievers, of which the following is a specification.

This device relates to supports for electric wiring, and more particularly to a support for electric light cord having a lamp or lamps suspended therefrom.

An important object of the invention is to provide a simple and cheaply manufactured casing.

Another object is to provide a novel means for connecting the device with an electrical circuit, whereby the casing may be suspended from the ordinary rosette socket or K. W.

Another object is to provide a novel means for holding the winding drum of the device resiliently engaged.

Another object is to provide a novel form of check means for holding the winding mechanism releasably against operation and operable by movement of a light cord engaged with the retriever.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the severalviews, Figure l is a side view of the device showing means for winding the spring, Fig. 2 is a section through the device longitudinally of the axis of the drum, Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line H of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a perspective of the mounting boss on top of the casing showing a portion of the side of the casing broken away, Fig. 7 is a cross section through the device in operative position, centrally thereof and at right angles to the axis of the drum, Fig. 8 is a perspective of the K. W., used for supporting the device, Fig. 9 is a cross sec tion through the ratchet sleeve.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a casing comprising a cylindrical portion Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

arcuate under surface against which the end portions of the strip 10 are held snugly as shown. Formed in the ends of the strip 10 there are opposed recesses comprising a rectangular opening disposed directly beneath the member 12. The boss member 12 is approximately rectangular in plan and is provided centrally with a boss 14 which is provided on opposite sides with recesses 15 opening on its periphery. The boss carries contact members 16 secured on its face and projecting over the recesses 15 adjacent one side thereof, being provided with spring tongues 18 depressed slightly into the recesses and extending toward the far ends of the recesses from the contact members 16, as shown for resilient engagement over the usual contact members 17 carried in the K. WV. as shown in Fig. 8, the operation of which is readily understood by all those skilled in the art. Spaced inwardly of the recesses 16, there are passages 19 extending entirely through the boss member and receiving therethrough screw members threaded through the contacts 16 and engaged in laterally extending portions 20 of commutator brush arms 21, the portions 20 being .disposed in recesses 22 extending transversely across the inner concave surface of the boss member 12. It will be noted that the arms 21 are disposed bet-ween the spaced ends of the strip 10 as seen in Fig. 5 and thus removed safely from liability of short circuit as will be understood. It will also be noted that the arms 21 are .spaced inwardly of the side edges of the strip 10 to avoid contact thereof with ends of the casing which will be subsequently described.

Secured in each end of the cylindrical portion there are head members 24 having peripheral annular flanges disposed slidably within the cylindrical portion and engaged at proper intervals by fastening members 25 engaged through the cylindrical portion as shown. The members 24 are formed by pressing the central portions of the heads outwardly, and have formed concentrically therein suitable openings 26 in which there are disposed bearings 27 for a purpose subsequently to be described. Engaged revolubly and slidably in one of the bearings 27 and projecting into the casing, there is a ratchet sleeve 28, having ratchet teeth formed on its inner end in rosette formation. The member 28 is provided at its outer end with an enlarged portion 29 in which there is engaged a helical spring 29 the outer eX- tremity of which is engaged against a head portion 30 of a shaft 31 disposed revolubly in the sleeve and extending to the opposite side of the casing where it is engaged revolubly in the bearings 27 at that side. Engaged diametrically through the shaft 31 adjacent the inner end of the sleeve 28, there is a pin member 32, and it willbe noted that under the action of the spring 18 bearing outwardly against the head 30 of the shaft, the pin 32 will be held resiliently in engagement with the ratchet sleeve 28.

Engaged revolubly upon the shaft there is a drum 34, made of suitable non-conducting material and having flanges 35 of similar material at each side. Engaged diametrically through the shaft a spaced distance from the pin 32, there is a second pin 36 disposed closely adjacent the side of the drum 34, and carried upon the side of the drum there is a pivoted dog 37 adapted to 7 fall by gravity into engagement with the pin 36 as shown, and adapted to be forced outwardly by centrifugal force upon rapid rotation of the drum as will be subsequently described. Carried upon the op- 1 posite sides of the drum there is a gear 39 and secured to the shaft outwardly thereof there is a large gear 40 disposed in the recess in the adjacent end of the casing. Meshed'commonly with these two gears,

' there is a double gear 41 having a small side engaged with the gear 40 and a large side engaged with the gear 39 as shown, the gear 41 being carried upon a suitable stub shaft 42 carried by the adjacent head portion of r the casing.

Disposed concentrically around the sleeve 28, and secured thereto by one end, there is a coil spring 45 secured by its outer end to the circular wall of the offset portion in the head 24. A split ring 46 is swiveled in the outer end of the sleeve, and by means of the ring, the sleeve may be turned against the action of the spring and will of the drum for engagement with the terminal end of the cable carried by the retriever. Each of the rings 50 is engaged respectively by the adjacent arm 21 carried by the boss member 14.

Formed in the bottom of the casing there is a suitable opening 52, provided with opposed rollers for the protection of electric cable from abrasion with the edges of the opening.

In use, a cable is secured to the drum, the strands thereof being engagedrespectively with the terminal members 51 after which the spring is wound by means of the ring 46 to draw the cable around the drum under a proper tension. If the tension should be too great, it will be apparent that by pulling outwardly upon the ring 46 the sleeve 28 will be disengaged from the pin 32 whereby a reduction in the tension of the spring may be accomplished. After engagement of the cable with the device, it will be seen that it may be attached to the rosette in the usual manner and the cable connected either to a light or any other point of application of electrical power. In order to unreel the cable, it is only necessary to pull thereupon when the drum will be rotated against the action of the spring 45 placing it under greater tension, which may be utilized to rewind the cable when desired. After the desired amount of cable has been unwound, by releasing the pulling strain thereon gradually, the dog 37 will be allowed to engage with the pin 36, whereby the device will be locked against rewinding action. When it is desired to rewind the cable, a quick pull thereupon will disengage the dog 37 and allow it to fly outwardly, the action of the spring 45 producing immediately rapid rotation of the drum which will hold the dog out of such engagement as explained.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a sleeve carried revolubly in one side of the casing, a shaft carried revolubly in the sleeve, said shaft projecting through and being supported revolubly in the ends of the casing, said shaft having an enlarged head outwardly of the sleeve, said sleeve having a recess in its outer end, a spring engaged in the recess and bearing against the head of the shaft, rosette ratchet teeth formed upon the inner edge of the sleeve, a transverse pin engaged with the shaft and resiliently engaged by the ratchet teeth, a revoluble drum carried upon the shaft, a train of gears engaged between the shaft and the drum, a pin engaged through the shaft adjacent one side of the drum, a dog adapted to be engaged with the last named pin under action of gravity at times, and adapted to be thrown out of such engagement under the action of centrifugal force at other times, a

spring carried by the casing and engaged with the revoluble sleeve, electrical terminals carried by the drum, means for securing a cable thereon, a cable, escape opening being formed in the side of the casing, supporting means for the casing, electrical connections therewith and brush contact connections with the terminal connections upon the drum.

2. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical casing having outwardly recessed heads engaged therein, a sleeve engaged revolubly in one of the heads, a spring secured within the recessed portions of the heads and engaged with the sleeve, said sleeve having rosette ratchet teeth formed 011 its inner end and having an enlarged recess at its outer end, a shaft engaged revolubly through the sleeve and projecting through and being supported revolubly in the opposite side of the casing, an enlargement carried at the end of the shaft outwardly of the sleeve, resilient means engaged in the recess in the sleeve and bearing against the enlargement, ratchet engaging means carried by the shaft and held resiliently against the rosette ratchet teeth under the action of said spring, means for rotating the sleeve against the action of the spring, a drum carried revolubly on the shaft, gear train connections between the shaft and the drum, electrical terminal connections carried by the drum, means for securing the cable thereto, said casing having an opening formed therethrough for the slidable movement of a cable therethrough,

and means for checking rotation of the drum under action of said coil spring at times, and supporting connections for the casing and electrical commutating means carried thereby in circuit with the terminal members upon the drum.

3. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical casing formed of a nonconducting anchor member, a rectangular strip of sheet material secured thereto with its end edges in spaced relation, circular head members having central outwardly pressed portions secured in opposite ends of the cylindrical portion, a drum member carried revolubly within the casing, resilient means carried by the casing and connected with the drum under tension to rotate the drum, electrical terminal connections carried by the drum, commutator rings disposed on opposite sides of the drum, said anchor member having a circular boss upon its upper side, contact clamps carried there by, the anchor member having transversely extending recesses in its under side, L-shaped brush members having a horizontal arm disposed within the recesses in spaced relation and having a pendent arm extending inwardly through the casing and contacting with the commutator rings respectively, and fastening means engaged through the contact clamp and said horizontal arm of the brushes, and a socket member having a terminal contact therein adapted for engagement with the clamp to support the casing and connected clamp in an electrical circuit.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing having registering ournals therein of a revoluble sleeve engaged in one of the journals, a shaft engaged revolubly in the sleeve and one of the journals, a spring carried by the shaft and engaged with the sleeve, a rosette ratchet formed on the inner end of the sleeve, a transverse pin carried by the shaft, resilient means engaged between the sleeve and the shaft to force the'pin into engagement with the ratchet teeth, means for rotating the sleeve against theaction of the spring, and a cable-carrying drum connected with the shaft, and means for checking the drum against rotation at times.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a casing having registering journals therein, of a sleeve engaged revolubly in one of the journals, a shaft engaged revolubly in the sleeve and one of the journals, said sleeve having rosette ratchet teeth formed on its inner edge, projections carried by the shaft engaged with the ratchet teeth, resilient means engaged within the shaft and sleeve to hold the projections in resilient engagement with the ratchet teeth, a drum revolubly engaged upon the shaft, a gear carried by the drum, a gear carried by the shaft, a gear train connecting the two first mentioned gears, a projection on the shaft adjacent the drum, a pivoted dog adapted to engage the projection at times under action of gravity and adapted to be thrown out of such engagement at other times under action of centrifugal force, said casing having an opening theret-hrough, said drum having terminal electrical connections thereon, means for securing a cable thereto, electrical connections carried by the casing and commutator means connected with the terminal connections upon the drum, and means for supporting the casing in an electrical circuit.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY R. GRAVES. EDWVIN B. GRAVES. Witnesses:

SAMUEL MODOWALL, LE ROY PIKE. 

